What did you do for your ZHP/ BMW / MINI today? #2

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Originally Posted by JKO_ZHP

I think we have to get our smog checks done every two years in CA, right? If so, I'm waiting on that day to come (didn't have to smog last year) so after, I can toss them on for another worry-free two years.

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Yes, it's biennial (not biannual). If you didn't do it last year, it will happen this year before you get your new tags. I believe it's based on original model year of the car therefore so a 2004 model year car will be smogged every even year, 2005 every odd year. Also, you are exempt for the first 6 years. My 2005 was exempt until 2011, makes sense as I've only smogged it twice.

Be aware, there are now mobile smog stations around SoCal... be careful

edit: here you go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtcCaXOVevI

I have seen one of those before in Oakland!

Apparently a CAI is illegal, fails the visual :/

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Originally Posted by Hermes

Yes, it's biennial (not biannual). If you didn't do it last year, it will happen this year before you get your new tags. I believe it's based on original model year of the car therefore so a 2004 model year car will be smogged every even year, 2005 every odd year. Also, you are exempt for the first 6 years. My 2005 was exempt until 2011, makes sense as I've only smogged it twice.

Be aware, there are now mobile smog stations around SoCal... be careful

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I didn't have to smog last year and I bought it in May of 2012 so I'm guessing I'll be getting a letter from the DMV to smog sometime later this year.
Gives me a two-year window to enjoy the headers....hehe.

As for the random smog checkpoints, I can't guarantee I will never encounter one but the chances are slim. I only drive to school and work, both of which are within 8 miles or less from my place, and all three cities have a relatively high median/average income....I'm sure they mostly hold those stops in cities where street racing is prevalent? Or lower income? Or maybe even in super tree-hugging environmentalist cities....either way, I'm willing to take that chance. I've lived here for just about 17 years now and I have never seen a smog checkpoint (or even DUI) in my three neighboring cities.

At most we just have choppers chasing down fleeing car chase suspects.

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Originally Posted by Johal E32

I have seen one of those before in Oakland!

Apparently a CAI is illegal, fails the visual :/

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What about the BMW Performance intake?
Oakland would not surprise me...

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Originally Posted by JKO_ZHP

As for the random smog checkpoints, I can't guarantee I will never encounter one but the chances are slim. I only drive to school and work, both of which are within 8 miles or less from my place, and all three cities have a relatively high median/average income....I'm sure they mostly hold those stops in cities where street racing is prevalent? Or lower income? Or maybe even in super tree-hugging environmentalist cities....either way, I'm willing to take that chance. I've lived here for just about 17 years now and I have never seen a smog checkpoint (or even DUI) in my three neighboring cities.

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Nope, they're all over town here. Like it says, random checkpoint. As for you not seeing them yet it's because it just started a few months ago. DUI is different, they put them on main roads going out of bar areas. This is anywhere

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JKO_ZHP

I didn't have to smog last year and I bought it in May of 2012 so I'm guessing I'll be getting a letter from the DMV to smog sometime later this year.
Gives me a two-year window to enjoy the headers....hehe.

As for the random smog checkpoints, I can't guarantee I will never encounter one but the chances are slim. I only drive to school and work, both of which are within 8 miles or less from my place, and all three cities have a relatively high median/average income....I'm sure they mostly hold those stops in cities where street racing is prevalent? Or lower income? Or maybe even in super tree-hugging environmentalist cities....either way, I'm willing to take that chance. I've lived here for just about 17 years now and I have never seen a smog checkpoint (or even DUI) in my three neighboring cities.

At most we just have choppers chasing down fleeing car chase suspects.



What about the BMW Performance intake?
Oakland would not surprise me...

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HAHA, Oakland has some SICK multi-million dollar areas. It's a huge city, many different neighborhoods.

BMW perf should be okay, looks OEM. I mean, its technically OEM, made by BMW and all.

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Originally Posted by Hermes

Also, you are exempt for the first 6 years. My 2005 was exempt until 2011, makes sense as I've only smogged it twice.

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Uhhh what? I've never purchased a car new, but my dad has a bunch, and they always had to be smogged every 2 years. Even the 2004 325 M56 SULEV had to get smogged every 2 years from purchase brand new in 2004 even though it's cleaner than any Prius on the road.

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Originally Posted by stephenkirsh

Uhhh what? I've never purchased a car new, but my dad has a bunch, and they always had to be smogged every 2 years. Even the 2004 325 M56 SULEV had to get smogged every 2 years from purchase brand new in 2004 even though it's cleaner than any Prius on the road.

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That's because it was a 2004

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Starting January 1, 2005, owners of vehicles six or less model years old will pay an annual smog abatement fee for the first six registration years instead of being required to provide a biennial smog certification

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Near the bottom of the page http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm#BM2536

When you own old cars like me and want to know how to get away without smog restrictions you end up learning the intricacies of the rules quite well

Wish I had a badass tree-killer from the past that could be grandfathered in......would love to let it rip around them Priuses :rofl

EDIT: It's been a few years now Hermes, and I still want to steal your dog.

Hahahaha... you have only a few choices if you want a BMW that works

Best/most reasonable/easiest to find/etc - any 1602/2002 as long as it's 1975 or earlier, no final year models

Coolest easy to find, but expensive as hell to restore/maintain - E9. E3 works too if you want a big sedan, but they need a drivetrain swap and are just as expensive as E9's to deal with. E3 will still need to be 1975 or earlier as they were produced until 1977, E9 ended in 1975 so all years. E9 was succeeded by E24 6er's, while E3 was the predecessor of the E23 7er

A good choice is the E12 5er's, but only the first three model years 1972-1975.

If you get into anything older than those choices it can become extremely expensive very fast. Also, most of the cars built from 1960-1968 were not that amazing as that time period was a rebuilding era for BMW

There is one way around to the 1975 rule, but it only gets you up to 1985-1986. There is a rare version of the E28 5er known as the 524td (it's a diesel, only came to this country for 2 years). Diesel vehicles produced before 1997 are exempt.

I have found a loophole in the rules that I can use for my E21 that exists in San Diego county, but it doesn't apply for you as your county doesn't have the same loophole. My loophole also only gets me out of the biennial smog, I technically still have to comply with all the smog rules.

Oh yeah, shop supervisor is still doing his job
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...F24E9186CC.jpg

In GA, we are required to have the vehicle's emissions tested annually....how does that differ from the SMOG test?

-r